Estancia, Iloilo

Estancia
Municipality

Seal

Map of Iloilo with Estancia highlighted
Estancia

Location within the Philippines

Coordinates: 11°27′N 123°09′E / 11.450°N 123.150°E / 11.450; 123.150Coordinates: 11°27′N 123°09′E / 11.450°N 123.150°E / 11.450; 123.150
Country Philippines
Region Western Visayas (Region VI)
Province Iloilo
Legislative district 5th district of Iloilo
Barangays 25
Government[1]
 • Mayor Rene S. Cordero
Area[2]
 • Total 29.38 km2 (11.34 sq mi)
Population (2010)[3]
 • Total 42,666
 • Density 1,500/km2 (3,800/sq mi)
Time zone PST (UTC+8)
ZIP code 5017
Dialing code 33

Estancia is a second class municipality in the province of Iloilo, Philippines. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 42,666 people.[3]

Estancia is located in the northern part of the province and is 131 kilometres (81 mi) from the provincial capital, Iloilo City.

Estancia was originally a ranch for a wealthy Spaniard named Rodrigo who intermarried with a local woman. Estancia is not known for its agricultural products nor livestock but rather for its location as it is adjacent to Carles' impressive marine resources. Estancia has a fishport and a pier - these being one of the most developed in northern visayas, a banking industry, cable television, a hospital (adjacent only, that belongs to the Municipality of Balasan) and resorts.

Estancia is known around the country as a center for commercial fishing, so much so that it shares to carries the name Alaska of the Philippines, with Carles (The true Alaska of the Philippines) as a testament to its location adjacent to Carles' bountiful marine resources. The reason for this is that Carles lies in the Visayan Sea triangle, an imaginary triangle extending from the provinces of Iloilo, Negros, Cebu, Samar, and Masbate. This triangle is a part of the "Sulu-Sulaweisi Triangle" of the Sulu Sea and neighboring Indonesia where a large concentration of marine organisms coupled with climate conditions support a massive marine ecosystem. Various commercial species are harvested along Carles' waters, namely mackerel, barracuda, sardines, shad, pompano, grouper, squid, cuttlefish, shrimp, prawns, shells, seaweed and others, these all are catches from Carles' water territory and brought to Estancia's fishport.

The method predominantly used are purse seining, trawling and gill netting as these are suited for the relatively shallow waters (up to 60 fathoms) of the Visayan Sea.

However, as of recent years, pollution, heavy overfishing, and irresponsible fishing practices have slowly diminished the once abundant fish stocks of Estancia, and now problems like diminishing catches and unpredictable weather are beginning to surface. These factors have raised awareness in the government as well as the private sector and currently an artificial reef is off the shore of Brgy Paon in an attempt to provide juvenile fish with shelter in hopes of restocking these once populous waters.

Barangays

Estancia is politically subdivided into 25 barangays.[2]

  • Lumbia (Ana Cuenca)
  • Bayas
  • Bayuyan
  • Botongon
  • Bulaqueña
  • Calapdan
  • Cano-an
  • Daan Banua
  • Daculan
  • Gogo
  • Jolog
  • Loguingot
  • Malbog
  • Manipulon
  • Pa-on
  • Pani-an
  • Poblacion Zone 1
  • Lonoy (Roman Mosqueda)
  • San Roque
  • Santa Ana
  • Tabu-an
  • Tacbuyan
  • Tanza
  • Poblacion Zone II
  • Poblacion Zone III

Demographics

Population census of Estancia
YearPop.±% p.a.
1990 27,229—    
1995 30,673+2.26%
2000 35,842+3.39%
2007 39,479+1.34%
2010 42,666+2.87%
Source: National Statistics Office[3]

Media

Disputed Claim Title: Alaska of the Philippines

Alaska is one of the richest source of Fish in the United States, it is declared as Fishing Capital of the United States. In the Philippines there is also an area where we can called the Alaska of the Philippines, how ever the Title has been disputed between two municipalities in the province of Iloilo, namely The Municipality of Carles, and the Municipality of Estancia.

Disputed Title

The title refers to the rich fishing ground called Alaska of the Philippines

Carles' water Territory

The said territory have lots of islands, some of these are Gigantes, Sicogon, Naburot and many more. The territory also have impressive marine resources because it lies in the Visayas Sea Triangle, an imaginary triangle extending from the province of Iloilo, Negros, Samar, Cebu and Masbate islands, which is also part the "Sulu-Sulaweisi Triangle" of the Sulu Sea and neighboring country of Indonesia. A large concentration of marine organisms can be found here, coupled with climate conditions support and a massive marine ecosystem, that is why this is a rich fishing ground in the Philippines.

Estancia's Claim

Estancia is a Municipality with its town proper located adjacent to the water territory of Carles, it has only two small islands and a small portion of water territory, but because of its location, and fishport, the said municipality is recognized by many as the Alaska of the Philippines.

Carles' Claim

Even though Estancia is recognized by many as the Alaska of the Philippines, but still Carles is the Fishing ground and deserves to be called the True Alaska of the Philippines.

Minority Opinion

Carles deserve to be called the Alaska of the Philippines because almost of the catches fish are from Carles, and brought only to Estancia, therefore Estancia can never be called Alaska, because it is not the Rich Fishing ground but only a marketplace of fish.

Majority Opinion

All fish brought to Estancia's Fishport are sold, and distributed. Estancia became famous for this because every time the people ask if where the fish came from, they answered from Estancia, thus Estancia remarked as the Alaska of the Philippines.

The Error

Even though the catch fish came from the fishport of Estancia, it does not mean Estancia is the Alaska of the Philippines, because, Fishport is different from Fishing ground. thus Estancia deserve to be called the Fishport capital of the Philippines and not Fishing ground of the Philippines referred to as " Alaska of the Philippines".

Natural disasters

Typhoon Haiyan

Parts of Estancia were heavily damaged by Typhoon Haiyan. The roof of Northern Iloilo Polytechnic State College (NIPSC: Estancia) was completely torn off. Estancia Central School was also hit by the said typhoon and almost all of the classrooms were totally damaged. The Principal (Dr. Gerry J. Tingson) of the said school with his utmost will is now trying to restore the damages caused by typhoon Haiyan through national and foreign aid.[4] Other partsof the town that suffered damage included the market and the port.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "Municipalities". Quezon City, Philippines: Department of the Interior and Local Government. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Province: Iloilo". PSGC Interactive. Makati City, Philippines: National Statistical Coordination Board. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 "Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay: as of May 1, 2010" (PDF). 2010 Census of Population and Housing. National Statistics Office. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  4. ↑ Typhoon Haiyan: Images from Panay Island
  5. ↑ Provincial board declares Iloilo under state of calamity

External links

 Carles
Balasan Visayan Sea
   Estancia  
Batad
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